Circle of Three
by hysteria TYPE A
Summary: A story about three special girls learning to grow up, Kikyou, Kagome, and Sango. It is about the hurt, pain, loss, love they will experience in life and the men who help them through it all.


Author's Note: Another story to begin with. This chapter is mostly an introduction to the characters and all. I'll still be writing, "Simply Love Me." All though I will be focusing more on this one because I want to get at least 2 chapters up. Hope you enjoy this one. Thanks to all my reviewers!  
  
"Circle of Three"  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Fragments of Time  
  
Kikyou reached out to touch a branch of the cherry blossom tree, her mind elsewhere. She stood in front of the temple of the Higurashi household, her long black hair blowing in the wind. It was springtime in Tokyo, Japan, and the birds sang joyously, despite the cold atmosphere of her surroundings. Was this her fate? To remain alone whilst her sister Kagome romped through the town with her new boyfriend Inuyasha? She snatched off the branch and broke it in her fist angrily. Nobody understood the pain and anger she was going through. Seeing those two together, happy and full of life made she seethe inside. Will her heart ever heal?  
  
Inuyasha, I was your first girlfriend. I thought we had something there, until the day I became terribly sick and everyone thought that I wasn't going to live any longer. He met Kagome, and fell for her madly. They've been inseparable since. He left me for her, I still feel so betrayed and hurt. Will I ever let it go? He told me we were just friends, that it was just a crush he had on me. I was the first to befriend him since he was new to the high school. It made him idolize and worship me as a saint. He said I didn't except him for who he was, I tried to change him. I realize now that I did try to mold him into an image he couldn't possibly become. Inuyasha, I still have feelings for you, even though you left me for her.  
  
A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away furiously, not wanting to cry again. She vowed to get over this, no matter the cost. She thought of Kagome, with her sweet laughter and carefree nature. They were complete polar opposites. Kikyou was serene and elegant, she kept her emotions bottled up inside. She was more mature, yet distant. Kagome wore her heart on her sleeve for all to see. The only thing that was alike about them was their appearance. They looked surprisingly the same, with their brown eyes and long black hair. Kikyou tied hers back with a white bow and Kagome let hers run loose and wild.  
  
Kikyou had to admit though, Kagome did suit Inuyasha very well, and she brought out the best side of him. She had never been able to make him laugh like Kagome did. Was it meant for the two to be together? Everyone agreed that Inuyasha was able off with Kagome, Kikyou was simply too serious for him. She had been mopping around the house for days now, not wanting to go to school and face the humiliation of the breakup. At first, she had wanted to get revenge for him doing this to her. She'd wanted to inflict pain on Kagome for taking Inuyasha away from her. But now, revenge didn't seem like a very good idea at all. After all, things would never go back to the way they were before.  
  
She had to get a hold of herself. She had to be strong, she will be. Her parents were worried about her; they didn't want her to be sad any longer. Her mother had been trying to get her out of the house and meet some new guys. She hadn't been feeling well lately either. She looked up at the cherry blossom tree; it was in full bloom with the lovely pink flowers. Some had already begun to fall of the branch. Their love was fleeting, like the pink petals. Springtime was the time for love, and she wasn't feeling it right now. She had to go back to school, or else she would fail her classes. Homework was piling up and she had to take her exams soon.  
  
"Kikyou!" She turned towards the voice. A man with long wavy black hair ran up the steps to her, waving. He was wearing a dark purple jacket over a blue shirt and black pants. His face was handsome, yet deathly pale. He looked familiar to her. When he came closer, she realized who he was.  
  
"Naraku?" She stared at him in surprise. "Is that really you?"  
  
"Yeah, wow. I can't believe you still remember me." He scratched his head, grinning at her. "Long time no see, huh?"  
  
"Yes, I thought you had moved to another city." She looked at him closely, fragments of memories flooding back to her. She had met him in the park while taking a walk a year ago. It started to rain heavily and she was running home when she saw him lying there on ground, blood on his shirt. Some thugs from a gang had shot him in the shoulder. He had owned them money and didn't have enough to pay. She helped him up and took him to her house, which wasn't far away. He didn't want to go to the hospital for fear of them asking too many questions. She had taken the bullet out and cared for him until he got better. They had gotten close but she was still dating Inuyasha then and nothing really happened between them. He tried to kiss her once, but she refused, not wanting to be unfaithful to Inuyasha. Little did she know that Inuyasha was already falling for her sister. After he was halfway healed, he left, leaving her only a note and a red rose. It told her that he was going back to visit his grandparents and thanked her for her kindness. He said he would be thinking of her. Seeing him again had triggered foreign emotions deep inside her heart.  
  
"I did leave. I went back to my grandparent's house like I told you. But, they were killed in a car accident two months ago and I have no one left to go to. My grandfather had an old friend who owns a dojo here, so I decided to come and live with him. It's a good deal, I get to have some ninjitsu training and I get to see you. I'll be enrolling in the high school next week." He smiled brightly, but it faded when he saw the look on her face. "What is wrong, Kikyou?"  
  
She straightened up and put on a cheery face. "It is nothing you should be concerned about. I am sorry to hear about your grandparents. You must have been fond of them."  
  
"Yes, I felt so guilty about the accident afterwards. I should have been the one to drive them, and then it wouldn't have happened." His face was downcast now.  
  
"It wasn't your fault. You could never have known." She came to him and clasped his hands, her eyes understanding. "It will be all right."  
  
He smiled sadly down at her. "I guess so." His eyes roamed over her and he said, "You've grown more lovelier since the last time I've seen you, Kikyou."  
  
She felt her cheeks redden and she shyly looked down at her feet. "Thank you. You are too."  
  
Naraku laughed, "You're too kind. So, how have you been all this time?"  
  
Kikyou didn't want to burden him with her troubles, so she answered, "I've been doing all right."  
  
He noticed the dark circles under her eyes and her pale face. "You don't look it. Have you been working hard again?" He touched her cheek, feeling the delicate veins underneath the soft skin.  
  
"It is none of your concern. You must be tired after your travels. Come into the house." She shied away from his touch, moving towards the house.  
  
"Will it be okay with your folks?"  
  
"They don't mind. People come over all the time." She led him inside and sat him down at the low table in the dining room. She brewed some green tea in the kitchen and served him and herself some.  
  
"So where is everybody?" Naraku asked after a sip of tea.  
  
"Kagome is at school, and my mother is working. My grandfather is out running some errands."  
  
"Why aren't you at school with your sister?"  
  
"I have been sick these couple of days, so they let me stay home."  
  
"Oh, so that's why you look so down, you've been sick."  
  
"Yes, you could say that." She finished her tea and cleaned up the table. Naraku offered to help her but she declined.  
  
"Kikyou, always the hard worker," he commented. "When are you going to go back? I'd like to see you on my first day there."  
  
She thought about it. It would be nice to see him again; he made her heart light up whenever he was around. "I'll go back whenever you do. I think you will be needing a guide."  
  
Naraku chuckled. "I sure will. You know me, prone to getting hopelessly lost."  
  
She smiled for the first time in days; a beautiful tranquil smile that tugged deep at a chord in his heart. She had always had this strange effect on him. He felt so unlike himself when he was around him. She brought this good side to him that he couldn't have known elsewhere. He believed it was fate that they met on that dark rainy day. He wanted to take her in his arms and shelter from the pain he had seen on her face earlier. But he couldn't, it would ruin their friendship, because he didn't think that he could stop himself from going beyond that. Her friendship meant a lot to him, and he just could not jeopardize it.  
  
"How is Inuyasha?" Naraku asked her.  
  
"I think he is doing fine. We, we drifted away over time."  
  
"Is that so?" There was hope in his eyes.  
  
"He, he didn't want me anymore. He left me for Kagome a long time ago." Her lips started to tremble and her eyes watered. A sob came forth from her and she turned from him, covering her face.  
  
"Oh, Kikyou." Naraku couldn't resist anymore, seeing her crying like that had broken down all of the walls he had put up around himself. He came to her and took her in his arms, whispering words of comfort to her. "I-I thought we had something special, but it's inevitable," she hiccupped. "I do not understand."  
  
"It'll be all right, Kikyou. It'll be all right, I promise. You don't need to be hurt anymore, I'm here." He rubbed her back up and down, soothing her shaking body. That son of a bitch, he thought. Kikyou did not deserve this, how he would like to strangle Inuyasha with his own bare hands. How could someone leave Kikyou, she was so sweet and kind. He wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for her.  
  
"Thank you, Naraku," she said through her tears. "I feel much better now." She pulled away from him and looked up into his concerned face. She saw the murder in his eyes and shivered. "Truly, I'm fine. I don't want you to get into any violence or hurt because of me. Just leave it as it is, Naraku."  
  
"But, he has hurt you. I can't stand that."  
  
"Please, I want to get to know you better. You being dead won't help." She touched his arm pleadingly.  
  
"I feel as though you already do."  
  
She smiled serenely. "Well, I want to know more. Let's be friends first, and then maybe something more will come of it?"  
  
I think some already has come out of it, he thought to himself. "All right, but if he ever does this to you again, I'm going off."  
  
"He won't," she assured him. "Let us put the past behind and move on, hmm?"  
  
He nodded. "So I'll pick you up at 8:00 o' clock in the morning next week?"  
  
"Yes, I'll be waiting for you." She walked him to the door and waved good-bye, her heart lightening. Maybe it won't be so bad after all.  
  
The next week on the first morning, Naraku came to pick her up. He walked her along the way to the school, talking incessantly about little things. Kagome and Inuyasha had gone off earlier.  
  
"This is it. You mind if I walk you to class?" Naraku asked her when they reached the front steps.  
  
"If you want to." She hugged her schoolbooks close to her, walking with him up the steps. The school bullies; Jin and his little posse intercepted them.  
  
"Well, well. Look at what the cat dragged in this morning, boys. It's the little delinquent, Naraku, and his new girlfriend, Kikyou. How did you get out of jail this time?" He sneered down at them, cracking his knuckles.  
  
"Move outta our way, Jin, if you don't want to get your face bashed in," Naraku growled at him. He went to stand in front of Kikyou, shielding her.  
  
"Make me," Jin challenged. He leapt down in front of Naraku and punched at him. Naraku dodged and knocked him hard in the stomach, making him double over in pain. Naraku turned back to Kikyou and said, "Come on, let's go."  
  
"You bastard," Jin sputtered. He got up, a knife glinting in his hand.  
  
Kikyou looked over his shoulder, seeing the murderous look in Jin's eyes. "Naraku, he's got a knife!"  
  
Jin lunged for Naraku's back before he could turn around, but a long ancient sword held in front of him cut him off. "What?" Jin cried in surprise. He looked up into the face of Inuyasha, whose fiery golden eyes flashed dangerously, his teeth bared. "Put the knife down," he growled. Jin dropped the knife in fear, shaking wildly. "W-what do you want?"  
  
"Leave them alone, Jin. Or you'll have to answer to me and my brother."  
  
"Your brother? You do not have a brother."  
  
"I do, I just never mentioned it to you."  
  
A stern male voice interrupted them, "Inuyasha, how many times have I told you? No weapons on school premises? You too, Jin. I am disappointed in you." Their principal came running over, his expression disapproving. He eyed Inuyasha's sword and Jin's knife disdainfully. "Follow me to my office please, boys. I have make a call to both your parents about this." Inuyasha sighed and trailed after him, tucking his sword back in its hilt. When he was almost to the entryway, he turned back and winked at them, his long silvery white hair blowing in the wind. Jin grumbled all the way into the school about elf eared boys.  
  
"Whoa," Naraku said finally. "What a first day this has been, huh?"  
  
Kikyou smiled softly. Yes, it was.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Excuse me," a deep male voice sounded from the door of the 9th grade History class. Professor Aikura went to open it and let in a tall lean man in his early twenties. He was extremely handsome, with long sliver white hair and strange golden eyes that you could drown in. He wore a simple white button down shirt that was open to just enough to show off his tan and muscular chest. He wore a black leather jacket over this, with a fluffy white collar. His pants were gray slacks that were slightly baggy and he wore black leather combat boots. There were bizarre tattoos on his face, two slashes of dark pink on each of his cheeks and a purple crescent moon on his forehead. All the girls started giggling, some blushing bright red. The guys started mumbling and scowling at him.  
  
Professor Aikura seemed to be affected by his presence too. "Hello. Can I help you with something?"  
  
"Yes, is there a Rin here?"  
  
"Oh, she's right over there." She pointed to the table where Rin sat at by the window.  
  
"Would you mind if I see her for a moment?"  
  
"Don't take long." She nodded to Rin with permission.  
  
Rin got up out of her seat and followed the man out of the classroom, grinning widely.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, I didn't know you were coming today!" Her warm brown eyes twinkled with delight.  
  
"I came to surprise you," Sesshoumaru's mouth curled. "Here." He handed her a small brightly wrapped package.  
  
"For me?" She grinned, opening it eagerly. Inside were two beautiful long silk ribbons, in orange and green, decorated with phoenixes and flowers. It had her name elegantly written on each one in gold letters. Silver bells dangled on the ends and jiggled, echoing loudly in the hallway. "Oh, they're lovely," she said, "Thank you! She hugged him tightly and gave him a deep kiss on the mouth. It tasted sweet and delectable and he pressed closer for more. His senses filled with her intoxicating scent, and he growled low in his throat.  
  
"I believe that this is a school, not a make out session." Professor Aikura interrupted them sternly, her voice ringing in their ears. They broke away quickly, with Rin blushing furiously. Sesshoumaru's face was calm and emotionless. He squeezed her hand and said he'll pick her up after school before he walked away the down the hall. Rin tied the ribbons into her hair and went back into class with a huge grin. The girls kept pestering her all day after that about what happened out there to make Professor Aikura so furious about. But Rin would not tell them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome found Sango crying softly on the school rooftop. She sat against the wall, her dark head bent, sobbing into her knees, which were drawn up to her chest.  
  
"Sango," Kagome said quietly, kneeling down in front of her. "What did he do this time?"  
  
Sango tried to wipe the flowing tears away, hiccupping. "H-he promised t-that h-he wouldn't cheat on me anymore. I-I guess it's not true."  
  
Kagome felt anger rising inside of her. Mirokou, how dare he do this again to her best friend? Who does he think he is, the biggest pimp around here that he can just curl his finger and any girl would come running to him? To think that his father was a monk and he was going to become one himself. There was nothing saintly about him one bit. Sure, he's pretty cute with that little ponytail and dark purple sweater and the black pants. Sango deserves much better than this.  
  
"Sango, you need to dump him already. Why do you let him to this to you?" She handed Sango a handkerchief and she accepted it gratefully, blowing her nose loudly.  
  
"Because," Sango said whispered, "I think I love him."  
  
"What?" Kagome's eyes widened. "Are you serious about this?"  
  
"Yes, which even makes it worse."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The school bell rang, and down the hallways doors flung open and hordes of crazy students streamed out, ready to get out.  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome rushed down the steps, anxious to try out the Inuyasha's new motorcycle. Sesshoumaru had given it to him as an early gift for his eighteenth birthday, which was coming up in August. Inuyasha had wanted one ever since he saw Sesshoumaru riding his, and he'd gotten a taste of the ride. When Sesshoumaru presented the bike to him this morning, he was so ecstatic and happy about it, he was grinning ear to ear all day long. He'd forgotten his helmet at home, but didn't think the ride home would be any dangerous so he didn't make a big deal out of it.  
  
"You stay here and wait for me, Kagome. I'll pick you up."  
  
"All right, don't take too long." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, smiling sweetly up at him.  
  
He winked and ran to the parking lot to get it. A few minutes later, she saw him speed towards her on the brand new bike of his. He waved at her and gave a thumbs up. Her smile turned into a frightened scream as another motorcycle came tearing at him from the side. It was too fast for him to turn away and they crashed head on into each other. The assailant and Inuyasha were thrown from their bikes from the force of the collision. Inuyasha flew face down many feet away from the crash, blood starting to pool under him. His body was motionless.  
  
Kagome ran to him, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. Please, oh gods, please, let him be okay. There was a roar in her ears and she couldn't hear the shouts and screams from the students and onlookers. She knelt down beside him and turned him upward. His face and hair was covered with blood. His eyes were closed and she felt tears stinging her eyes. "Inuyasha, please wake up!" She felt her heart wanting to burst out of her chest. She was shaking with fear and dread. She heard voices faintly in the distance. "Call for help, someone!" "He's dying!" "Oh, my god!" "What's going on here?"  
  
There was so much blood; her hands were stained with the crimson red color flowing from him. She checked his pulse, finding nothing.  
  
He wasn't breathing, his body cold as ice.  
  
"NO!!!!" Kagome turned her face up to the skies, screaming, her mind flooded with pain and anger.  
  
Author's Note: So tell me, how do you like the story so far? Does it suck so bad that I need to remove it off of the FanFiction premises and maybe even the Earth itself? Give me some reviews here, people! I need your insight. Eh. 


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